


Pins

by Wanna_be_goodr



Category: Derry Girls (TV)
Genre: Erin being sorry, Erin being thoughtful, Female Friendship, Friendship, Gen, Guilt, James being sweet, Rainbows, friendly fluff, the gang being allies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-16
Updated: 2020-02-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:48:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22762735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wanna_be_goodr/pseuds/Wanna_be_goodr
Summary: Where those rainbow pin badges came from in season 2
Relationships: The Gang - Relationship
Comments: 8
Kudos: 79





	Pins

**Author's Note:**

> Just a bit of friend fluff(?) about Erin feeling hella guilty for not having the best reaction to Clare coming out, and trying to make it up to her by being an ally

It was Erin’s idea. 

She felt awful – when she closed her eyes she could still see Clare’s hurt expression as her best friend pushed her away and told her to “go back in” to the closet. She could still hear the slight waver in Clare’s voice as she told Erin she thought she’d understand. Sitting through Jenny Joyce’s talent show performance had been hell, but not just because of Jenny’s smarmy face and shit singing. The song that stuck-up prefect had been butchering cut straight through Erin’s heart, and seeing Clare and James talk to each other without her, Erin hurt.

Not as much as Clare, obviously. Even after Clare and Erin had made up, the latter still felt guilty. She’d sworn to herself that if she ever had any wee gay come out to her again, she’d be nothing but supportive, but that didn’t change her reaction to Clare’s bravery.

Erin was walking past Fionnula’s, torturing herself with the aroma she was banned from fully enjoying, when the idea came to her. From the chippy it was only a short walk to Dennis’ Wee Shop, and Erin suddenly remembered something she’d seen as Clare and Orla were held spellbound by the pick and mix a few mornings ago. She turned into the shop and made a beeline for the back shelves crammed with knickknacks. She searched for a few moments and found what she needed, paid Dennis, and practically skipped home, high on her success.

It was a couple of days later by the time Erin managed to get the gang together without Clare. When Clare was staying behind one lunchtime to go over some maths revision, Erin grabbed the opportunity by the balls.

“Right, listen up yous. I’ve bought something for us, and we all need to wear them, ok? This is a totally cracker idea, to show Clare how class havin a wee lesbian friend is.”

James raised an inquiring eyebrow, and Erin fished the pack out of her pocket. She poured the contents into her hand.

“Class! I love these badges, I always wanted to be a rainbow when I grew up!” As always, Orla seemed as though she was in a world of her own, surprised that anyone else was there. She was excited about the badges though.

James and Michelle took one each and held them between their thumbs and forefingers.

“Right, and how is this a cracker idea, Erin? Because I’m struggling to understand what the fuck is so class about wee rainbows – I’m not a wain, I’m a woman… I’m a fully grown, very developed woman…”

“Yes, thanks Michelle, we all needed that,” James rolled his eyes, “so what’s the plan here Erin?”

“I did some research a while ago, once Clare came out. It turns out that the rainbow symbolises gays, and so I thought- “

“- Does the rainbow represent lesbians because they’re what you find at the end of one, with a wee pot of gold?”

“No, Orla! That’s LEPRICORNS, Clare is a LESBIAN. We’ve been over this.”

“Right you are, carry on then Erin.”

“Thank you. So, as I was saying, the rainbow is a sign for the wee gays, and I thought if we all wore one of these pins, we’d be showin Clare that we really do support her, and we think it’s class havin a lesbian friend.”

“That’s actually a really lovely idea, Erin,” James grinned, and Erin smiled back in thanks as Michelle rolled her eyes.

“You’re so gay, dicko.”

“Thanks again, Michelle.”

When Clare got back from her extra maths session, she wondered why her friends were being so weird. Michelle sticking her chest out was par for the course, but there were no boys around, which made it slightly strange. James and Erin looked proud of themselves, and Orla looked as though she was paying attention. Very odd, indeed. Clare panicked. Then James’ gaze drifted to his chest, and there, adorning his blazer, was a badge in the shape of a – 

“Oh my GOD guys!” Clare squealed as she looked around her gang, confirming they were all wearing matching pins. Rainbow pins. For her, the wee lesbian. Tears welled in her eyes, and she pulled them all in for a group hug, pouring all her thanks and love into it.

When the all broke apart, Erin opened her mouth to speak, but James cut her off.

“It was Erin’s idea. She wanted to show you that we all support you, and… y’know, love you, and it doesn’t matter to us who you fancy because it’s not important. What’s important is you, Clare. And we like you just the way you are,” he smiled softly at her, and her little gay heart swelled.

Erin was speechless. She couldn’t have said that any better, James had handled it perfectly. She was once again thankful that he was there, part of the gang, ready to lend an eager hand or kind word in his soft, only slightly annoying accent.

Clare turned to Erin, her oldest friend, and saw the pain and regret in her eyes from her harsh reaction to her best mate’s confession. Somehow, Erin managed to put all her guilt, all her loss, all her apologies into one look, and Clare couldn’t have loved her more in that moment.

Erin held out a hand. Resting on her palm was a pin just like the others.

“I thought you’d like one too…”

Clare wrapped Erin in the biggest, tightest hug she could manage, and whispered softly into her shoulder.

“Thank you.”

And from that day on, the five Derry girls wore rainbow pin badges on their blazers, or ties, or jackets for their class wee lesbian friend.


End file.
